Category: Chiefs

There’s nothing like an Independence Day than one at the ballpark with fireworks to follow.

The Chiefs are reeling a little bit after losing their last two games in Kane County before returning home today. As manager Casey Kopitzke pointed out, it’s been the bats since the Chiefs were clean in the field defensively and the pitching kept them in the games.

Hak-Ju Lee did have a pair of hits on Saturday after having a four-game hitless streak. If he can get the top of the order going, the Chiefs should be ok.

It will be interesting to see how well the Chiefs can keep their focus with the Wrigley game now three days away.

Kind of the everyday lineup today for the Chiefs although Logan Watkins is at second instead of centerfield as Matt Cerda will be today’s designated hitter.

Things are back to normal for the most part one day after Nick Struck’s five-inning no-hitter last night.

While Major League Baseball refuses to recognize n0-hitters less than nine innings there is no such provision in the Midwest League, which obviously routinely plays seven-inning games as part of doubleheaders. In fact, the majority of no-hitters listed in the Midwest League Guide and Recordbook are of the seven-inning variety.

But there have also been at least two games of shorter duration. Clinton’s John Conzatti went six innings against Quad Cities in 1970 and Dayton’s Johnny Cueto went five against Wisconsin in 2006.

For a bit last night, it appeared that it was the second time two no-hitters were thrown on one day as Cedar Rapids tossed a combined nine-inning no-hitter. The aforementioned MWL Guide listed July 10, 1987 when amazingly the Chiefs and Cedar Rapids (then knows as the Reds) threw no-no’s. However, while Jeff Schwarz’s did indeed blank Kenosha on July 10, 1987, the other one listed for that date took place a year earlier. Mike Converse blanked Beloit on June 6, 1986.

As for today, other than using the outfield to toss and the bullpens for ptichers side sessions, there’s no batting practice today as the grounds crew is still working to dry the left side of the infield. They have blowers out on the field trying to dry it out. Last night when the rain and wind came, the Chiefs’ office staff and grounds crew had a tough time getting the tarp all the way across the infield. They made it as far the pitcher’s mound before having to make a second and then third attempt before getting it on.

The field doesn’t look that bad so as long as they’re’s no further rain this afternoon and evening, we should be good to go.

Hak-Ju Lee will get the day off so Logan Watkins will slide over to short and George Matheus will start at second base. Jose Valdez will bat leadoff for the Chiefs. Other than that, it’s the same ol’, same ol’.

I’m back in the saddle here after a few days off and then being busy yesterday working on something for next week. There will be more on that in Sunday’s With the Chiefs column.

The biggest thing to happen, aside from the winning streak continuing, was the Cubs releasing Jovan Rosa and bringing in Jonathon Mota from extended spring training.

On the field, other than a little bit less powe in Mota, the Cubs basically switched an almost identical part. Mota, like Rosa, is a converted position player and played last season at Double-A Tennessee.

Rosa was hitting just .103 in 10 games with the Chiefs but from all indications the Cubs weren’t concerned about his offense since he had proven he could hit.

In other news, we have a winner in the Valerio Heredia Last Guy to Get a Hit Award, given to the last player on an opening day roster to get a knock.

After the Chiefs George Matheus singled during the last homestand it took until last night to determine a champion.

Clinton catcher Henry Contreras pinch hit and singled in the ninth to raise his average to .333 with one at-bat a week.

So that leaves Lake County’s Jason Smit, still on the disabled list after playing on Opening Day as the de facto winner.

Remember the way the Chiefs lost in Game 2 of the first round of the Midwest League Playoffs last September? Unfortunately that might have been a harbinger of things to come for Chris Huseby.

Huseby walked four batters and plunked a fifth in the ninth inning to give Cedar Rapids a 9-8 win.

Huseby began the season in high-A Daytona but walked six and allowed five runs in 2 2/3 innings prompting the Cubs to send him back to extended spring training. After some time to regroup, Huseby made his extended spring training debut on Wednesday and reportedly threw 16 pitches — all balls.

A few lineup changes tonight for the Chiefs. Logan Watkins gets the day off. He got up slow after a hard takeout slide while turning a double play in the eigth. Jose Valdez moves up to the second spot in the order while Matheus will play second and bat in Valdez’s normal spot at No. 8.

Last night’s game did turn a little chippy by baseball standards. In addition to the takeout slide by Pete Fatse, there was the collision at the plate that chased Mario Mercedes from the game and then in the ninth Wisconsin’s D’Vontrey Richardson and Peoria third baseman exhanged pleasantries after Rohan tagged Richardson after the latter flew out to left center and was heading to the third-base dugout by way of the base path.

Between that and the wind blowing straight out left, it could be an entertaining night at the yard.

After absolutely beautiful weather the past two days, the Peoria Chiefs begin the 2010 Midwest League season here in Clinton under cloudy skies with temperatures in the high 40s. Nothing says opening day like that.

As could be expected there is a bit of anticipation to get the season started. “If you don’t have butterflies on opening day then probably not alive,” new manager Casey Kopitzke said before the team took infield.

For his first official lineup, Kopitzke is using the same one the Chiefs used on Wednesday against Bradley.

Hak-Ju Lee ss

Logan Watkins 2b

Matt Cerda 3b

Richard Jones lf

Jovan Rosa c

Justin Bour 1b

Greg Rohan dh

Jesus Morelli rf

Jose Veldez cf

Rob Whitenack p

The lineup is very lefty heavy with five of the first six batters, save Rosa, batting from the left side. It will be interesting to see how they fare against lefty Jimmy Gillheeney.

The current issue of Baseball America, it’s annual Minor League Preview, has an info box that looks at the single-season Minor League leaders for the decade that just was and there are a handful of Peoria connections on it.

Rick Short’s .383 batting average while with New Orleans in 2005 was the best batting average of the 2000’s.

Chris Morris’ 111 stolen base total while with the Chiefs in in 2001 topped all of MiLB while former Chief Esix Snead stole 109 with Potomac in 2000, one year after he played for Peoria.

BA also ranks the organization talent level this week based on the talent in the farm system.

The Cubs rank in the middle of the pack at 14th, up from last year’s No. 27. The Cardinals, meanwhile, rank a distant 29th.

Also in the issue is a position-by-position look of the top prospects in the minor leagues.

Starlin Castro is the highest-rated Cubs prospect as the No. 2 shortstop. Also on that list is potential Chief Hak-Ju Lee at No. 10. Lee’s possible middle-infield partner in Peoria, Logan Watkins, is ranked the eight-best second-base prospect.

Brett Jackson, a Chief in 2009, is ranked the fourth-best centerfielder. His Peoria teammate Josh Vitters is ranked fifth at third base.